I have been involved in outdoors activity since I was a child. I was in the Boy Scouts and am still active as an Assistant Scoutmaster now even five years since I earned my Eagle badge. I love camping, hiking, canoeing, and climbing. For these reasons, I have decided to go into marketing to show people the things I love and encourage them to join me in the outdoors. I have also decided to start my own outdoors consulting company; it will deal mostly in equipment and facility reviews as well as providing advice and counselling to those starting in outdoors activities. To that end, I am putting a very informal first review of a local rock climbing facility up here today.
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Stoneworks Rock Gym
Location: Beaverton, OR
Stoneworks Rock Gym is a medium sized climbing facility located off Denny Rd. in Beaverton, OR. The gym features regular bouldering, top-roping, and lead climbing. It also has limited fitness facilities upstairs.
Stoneworks is built into what looks like an old office building. Much of the climbing area is two-stories tall, but some lead routes go into skylights that add another 5 feet to the challenge. There is also a U-shaped bouldering cave in the back of the gym and a members-only fitness area in a loft above the gym.
The walls are made out of molded artificial rock and provide very satisfying smears and feature holds throughout the gym. Stoneworks also uses high-quality artificial holds for its routes, employing everything from jugs to tiny nibs. Keep in mind, though, that none of the routes are rated. Know your limits and be sure to either ask before you start or have a crash pad beneath you when bouldering as some of the more difficult and high routes can appear deceptively easy from the ground.
If you don't have your own equipment, Stoneworks will provide it for you at an added price. They have shoes that are all in fair condition and plenty of harnesses for any group you bring. They keep all of their top-roping routes roped and leave quick draws in several of their lead routes to make things easier on novice climbers. Be forewarned that you might need to bring your own gear for some of the more difficult lead routes.
Like most gyms, Stoneworks does not allow loose chalk. They sell chalk bags and chalk balls if you forget this rule. Leave your ATCs at home, too. Gri-gris are the only allowed belay devices.
Many of the staff member seem knowledgeable about climbing. Others seem to care less about day climbers and more about either the daily crossword or team climbers who are in training. It really depends on both the day and time of day you decide to climb.
If you're willing to shell out the extra money, Stoneworks offers introductory and developmental courses for beginner and intermediate climbers. Their instructors are all intelligent and experienced and will make any lesson enjoyable for the learner.
Facilities: 7.0 out of 10 - Routes go unlabelled and you spend more time finding a good one than actually climbing.
Equipment: N/A - I always bring my own.
Staff: 1.0 out of 10 - The staff focuses on their own team members and private lessons and ignores day climbers who are not regular members. I had several instructors tell their students to ignore me while they were climbing and had two teenagers almost fall on my head because they were trying to climb over the top of me in the cave. Route-setting gear was left unattended in the middle of the gym in a location where a fall could have caused serious harm. A staff member even started taking down a route I was working on while I was in the middle of climbing it.
Overall Experience: 4.0 out of 10 - High quality architecture does not outweigh unlabelled routes or rude employees.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Rock Climbing
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